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TENCH (Tina vulgaris)

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Originally appearing in Volume V26, Page 614 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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TENCH (Tina vulgaris) , a small See also:fish of the Cyprinid See also:family, which is one of the commonest and most widely spread fresh-See also:water fishes of See also:Europe. It is generally distributed in all suitable localities throughout See also:England, but is limited to a few lakes and ponds in the See also:south of See also:Scotland and in See also:Ireland. As the tench is of comparatively uncommon occurrence in unenclosed See also:waters, its See also:place among the indigenous fishes of See also:Great See also:Britain has been denied, and it has been supposed to have been introduced Tench. from the See also:Continent; a view which, however, is not supported by any See also:evidence, and is practically disposed of by the fact that fossil remains of the fish are found in the See also:Pleistocene deposits of Great Britain. In central Europe it thrives best in enclosed, preserved waters, with a clayey or muddy bottom and with an abundant vegetation; it avoids clear waters with stony ground, and is altogether absent from rapid streams. The tench is distinguished by its very small scales, which are deeply imbedded in a thick skin, whose See also:surface is as slippery as that of an See also:eel. -See also:TENDER All the fins have a rounded outline; the See also:short dorsal fin is without a spine, but the See also:males possess a very thick and flattened See also:outer See also:ray in the ventral fins. The mouth is rather narrow and provided at each corner with a very small See also:barbel. Tench if kept in suitable waters are extremely prolific, and as they grow within a few years to a See also:weight of 3 or 4 lb, and are then See also:fit for the table, they may be profitably introduced into ponds which are already stocked with other fishes, such as See also:carp and See also:pike. They live on small animals or soft See also:vegetable substances, which they See also:root up from the bottom. The See also:albino variety especially, which is known as the " See also:golden tench," can be recommended for ornamental waters, as its See also:bright See also:orange See also:colours render it visible for some distance below the surface of the water. This variety, which seems to have been originally bred in See also:Silesia, is not less well-flavoured than the normally coloured tench, and grows to the same See also:size, viz., to 6 and even 8 lb.

The tench is really an excellent fish for the table, if kept in cool, clear water for a few days, as it is the See also:

custom to do in See also:Germany, in See also:order to rid it of the muddy flavour imparted to it by its favourite See also:abode.

End of Article: TENCH (Tina vulgaris)

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TENCIN, CLAUDINE ALEXANDRINE GUERIN DE (1681-1749)

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